**Little disclaimer, I am not 100% sure that all of these actually hit the market within the year of 2013 BUT I jumped on their bandwagon. So all of these were purchased or repurchased last year (some of them are "old faithful" products that I have used for a long time). I have tried to stick to drugstore products for most things however there are a few higher brands thrown in there too. Sit down with and cuppa and - Enjoy :)**
Primer: Rimmel Fix and Protect Pro
This primer has been my old faithful for quite a while. It is not expensive and has a 5 in 1 results claim - smooths, resurfaces, brightens, mattifies and protects. I have to say I have worn this underneath my make up to many a dance class and my make up has not budged. It also goes onto the skin really creamy and soft.
However I do need to shout out to Benefit's Porefessional. This is an incredibly good primer which actually, true to it's claim, reduces pores and gives a lovely base for make-up. A little pricey, but the tube does last for a long time.
Eye-shadow Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion
Oh my god, this stuff is amazing. I jumped on the band wagon really late when I saw a small bottle of this going for £8, but I am so glad I picked it up. My eye-shadow just does not budge. I find it really hard to find a primer as I have incredibly sensitive eyes, so some eye primers can have me looking like I've received some very bad news.. but this primer is not irritating at all. I know it can be a little pricey when not on offer, but the tube actually lasts for a really long time, and how long lasting it makes your eye make-up, it is definitely worth it. You want people to see all those hard efforts you've put into blending those shadows...
Concealer: Collection Lasting Perfection 16h Wear
This has been raved about by many a beauty guru on YouTube and I have to agree with them that this is a great concealer. It has a very good consistency, is not cakey to the skin, and lasts all day. Whether you put it on top of your foundation or underneath it blends really well, and unlike Rimmel's Wake Me Up shimmery concealer, you can use this both on your under eyes and blemishes. It is a complete bargain as well. If you don't have this, go out and purchase it. Now. It will be a credit to your make-up bag.
Foundation: Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation.
This foundation was also a rave of 2013. Given you matched to your skin tone it gives off a very natural, shimmery glow to your skin. I loved this foundation in summer. It really brightens, and makes your skin look really healthy. It goes on very easy to blend, and has a good consistency. It is not duey or shiny so would work on oily skin. If you haven't tried it yet, I would definitely say give this foundation a go in 2014.
Also a little shout out to Loreal True Match my current foundation. Love, love, love.
Powder: Rimmel's Stay Matte Translucent Powder
After being under stage lights, going to the gym, the half walk/half runs to uni when I'm late, it has definitely proven this powder to matte the skin. And it makes even the most duey of foundations matte. I feel after foundation I don't want to add any more coverage to my skin which is why I opt for translucent but there are tinted versions to choose from. It really does stop any shininess and it keeps your foundation where it is for most of the day. I don't think I'll change from this powder for a very long time.
Eye-shadow: Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
This palette is fricking amazing! I just cannot express how much I love this palette. I used it for pretty much every special occasion this year from the day I purchased it. Both times I went out for Halloween, meals out, nights out, and with the mix of colours it was perfect for most days out too. With a few mattes, the palette is mostly shimmer dominated, but who doesn't love shimmer? Like most shadows, it does have quite a bit of fall out, but a tap of the brush before applying normally sorts that right out. This palette is just simply gorgeous and definitely worth the money.
Liquid Eye-liner: Collection Waterproof Fast Stroke Eye-liner
I have used this eye liner for an incredibly long time. To be honest I think it was my first ever eye liner, which I was given in year 8, and I've repurchased it ever since. Having had so much practice with the applicator I can now get a straight line wing in a very short amount of time. It is true when they say - if you stick with the same eye-liner you can become very skilled, and I wouldn't be able to do half the make up looks I can now without this eye-liner. It stays on all day, and is very pigmented.
The only bad point is it is not waterproof. My eyes water like a bitch in cold windy weather, and I always look like I've forgotten to put half my eye-liner on.. yeah, not a good look.
Pencil Eye-liner: Rimmel's Scandal Eyes
My award just had to go to Rimmel for these eye pencils. They have a great range of colours and are all so pigmented. They go on really nice and easy, and stay on all day. They are not expensive and due to being a pencil they last a long time. My favourites have to be 014 bright blue (a recent purchase) and the first one I ever bought 012 bronze which I wore all through the summer. It is a great substitute when you don't want the heavy black eye-liner.
Mascara: L'oreal False Lash Telescopic
This has also been an old faithful to me. I love this mascara, it just works wonders for my lashes. Without even using eye lash curlers it curls my lashes to a maximum. It is both thickening and lengthening with "infinite length effect fibres". I repurchased this all through the year 2013 and it is still my everyday mascara. I get compliments on my lashes all the time, and its easy to use on both top and bottom lashes. I would go as far as saying this product is my winner of all winners (followed closely by Naked 2).
Honourable mention to Benefit's They're Real Mascara. I purchased this on the only day it was on offer in January sales and wow, it really does lengthen your lashes. It is amazing. I will say though that it doesn't thicken at all, so it can leave lashes looking a little spidery, so I would personally use it in conjunction with another mascara.
Eyebrows: Benefits Brow Pallette in Medium
My one and only brow filler, from the day I started using it I just have not felt any need to change. The colour is pigmented but not enough to look like you've inked your eyebrows - that would not be a good look. It has 0 fallout, and the brush means you can get a perfect fill with no hash lines.
Bronzer: Rimmel's Bronzing Powder in Sun Light
I just found this bronzer to give the best natural glow. It is not too orange or too dark, it just gives you a healthy sun kissed look. It lasts all day and applies really nice and evenly. I've repurchased it all year round and won't be changing any time soon.
Blush: Boujois Paris, Cendre De Rose Brune
Another old faithful. I just love the colour and even coverage of this blush. It makes your cheeks really rosy, but not in a stand out, too much way like some blushes. I've used it all year round and the pot literally last for ages. I also found that the brush it comes with works really well for me too.
And now for a lot of Lip Products...I'll try to keep them brief...
Lip Care Products: Lush Bubblegum Lip Scrub and Blistex Intensive Moisturiser
I found these were the best combination for my lips in winter. The scrub just tastes so good I could literally eat the whole tub, and if you don't believe me go into you nearest Lush store and try it. And if I have the slightest bit of dryness to my lips, one bout of Blistex and it has vanished. I would recommend both of these to anyone.
Lip Liner: Rimmel's Lasting Finish, 1000 Kisses
This had to go to 1000 kisses, as you can literally put these on all over your lips, put a clear lip gloss over the top and you are good to go. They double as a base for lipstick and a lip colour in themselves. They last all night long, as I've discovered on many a night out, are really pigmented and are really easy to apply.
Lip Tint: Benefit's Posy Tint
This tints and plumps, and is just a really gorgeous rosy pink colour. It goes well under most of my lip glosses especially soap and glory;s extreme plump and benefits ultra shine back to the fuchsia. You could also wear it by itself for a natural pink lip colour.
Lip Gloss: Rimmel's Apocalips
Again another raved about product, so these won't need much of an introduction due to it. These are so pigmented, and so glossy they are a must to any make up bag. "Big Bang" is perfect for any night out, being the brightest red you could find in a lip gloss.
Lipstick: All of my lipsticks purchased from Mac
I only have a few so far, but absolutely no brand can beat Mac for lipsticks. The colour range is spectacular, they are long wearing and highly pigmented. Yes they are incredibly high end and pricey, but when it comes to lipsticks high end is the way to go. I plan to build up my collection a lot more in 2014. My favourite at the moment is Rebel - a gorgeous dark purply pink colour.
Brushes: Real Techniques
I have not found any brushes that are quite as good as these. I have about 10 of these now, and I can't understand why it took so long to introduce them to my make up bag.Yes they are pricey, but I can't express enough how much they are worth it. They make any product easy to apply and give a flawless finish. These are the kind of brushes you wash and take care of - you will never want to throw these away once having used them.
Nail Varnish Brand: Barry M
Essie was very close in the running for this but I had to give Barry M the egde. They just bought out so many amazing colours and effects last year, it was insane. The jelly's, the magnetics, the metallics, the glitters, the mattes.. I pretty much loved them all. My nail varnish collection probably holds over 25 of their nail varnishes. They are not as hard wearing as I'd like but at how cheap they are and how pretty the colours are, I'd say I can over look that.
Perfume: Jimmy Choo
This has been my signature scent all year round, and I am still getting compliments on it into the year of 2014. Its long-wearing, and is a strong enough scent to notice but is not over powering. I will say though - when you first spray it, it is a completely different smell to when it dries on your skin so if you do go to purchase it, spray it and walk around the shop first. Then decide. I absolutely love it, and I think even if I do change to other perfumes, I will always have a bottle of this on my side.
Overall Brand:
As you can tell by my previous awards, my ultimate winner brand has to be Rimmel London. They had one hell of a 2013 when it came to beauty products.
And the upcoming brands for me this year that I shall be purchasing ALOT from is Soap and Glory, Lush and Urban Decay. I may even be going to purchase the Naked 3 palette and the Urban Decay setting spray as you read this... You can probably hear my bank account screaming...
xxx
Sunday 19 January 2014
Tuesday 7 January 2014
What is Beauty? Honestly?
2014 is here and with the new year, comes resolutions. Now, I will not put anyone down for making new years resolutions - I even have a few of my own. Drink more water, make the most out of my gym membership and for once stay on top of my work. Yes it may be a rare occasion when someone actually sees it all the way through to the next year, but if someone has an aspiration to better themselves, who am I or anyone to judge them? And so far, in all honesty, I am doing pretty well.
However, with the popular aspiration of becoming thinner, it made me ask myself the question, what really is beauty? Surely its something you see on the inside, right? I mean that is what everyone says nowadays. But then where does this insane want and need to be thin come from?
I signed a petition just yesterday against one of the most well known fashion stores - Urban Outfitters, urging them to stop their production of their "eat less" and "depression" t-shirts. Mental illness is not a joke, and having suffered with it myself, I can honestly tell you it slowly starts to control your life. Gaining control of it was my second hardest struggle up to date - my first being loosing my father at age 11. It's something I feel very strongly about changing as the message sent out to younger children and teenagers is not right. Eating less and depression is not something people should be fashioning down the street. Urban Outfitters needs to remember real people are effected by this, and its not just about how much profits they bring in at the end of the day. If you would like to sign this petition too, or get more information, please go to this website: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/urban-outfitters-we-are-urging-you-to-halt-all-production-of-their-eat-less-and-depression-t-shirts-both-of-which-are-glamorizing-mental-illnesses-and-could-have-potentially-devastating-effects-on-your-young-target-audience?share_id=XuglNhjOfW&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition
I also saw a story about a girl on Facebook, who had posted a picture of herself in her underwear with a message to everyone in the past who had told her to diet, eat less, go to the gym.. it was basically an up yours to anyone who didn't think she was perfect just the way she was. It was very powerful and received over a million likes. I have so much respect for this girl, and I would love it if more people would have the confidence to do this. To stand up to people who tell them they are not beautiful the way there are.
Now, don't get me wrong, I am not saying anything bad about being thin. I've heard thin people say they want to be curvier, this works both ways believe me. I would sign the exact same petition if urban outfitters have come out with a top saying "eat more". We should all love the way we are built. Who says that someone with a tiny waist, is prettier than a curvy waist? Size E is better than size B? A big bum is better than a smaller one? Or visa versa. I think there is too much pressure on people nowadays to change the way they look, when in my opinion they look fine just the way they are. This goes for all the guys reading this too - wanting to be more built, more muscular, skinnier. I have friends who say they want to be prettier, skinnier, curvier, more toned.. and I look a them and think: but you're perfect the way you are.
Jessica Lawrence is one of the best role models to have become a celebrity, as she promotes loving the way you are.
No matter what you look like if you are a kind and true person with a beautiful personality, you will be stunning to me readers.
And if you want to change the way you look, do it for yourself. If it will make you happier. I will not judge someone who is doing something that makes them happy. But do not do it because society tells you that, the way you are at the moment, is not "perfect" in their eyes.
Thankyou for reading this and if you signed the petition, I owe you my gratitude.
Lisa-Nicole
xxx
"You're much happier when you stop caring what people think". Love the way you are, and stop comparing yourself to others. You may think they are prettier than you, but they may be thinking exactly the same about you. Me last Halloween, sporting my curvy figure with finally, not a care in the world.
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